Migrants, Mattarella praises the government on the Matte project: speech in Cyprus

“It is urgent to define a new deal on migration and asylum in the EU, and it is even more urgent to define it soon and implement it immediately.” Thus the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, announced to the press, together with the President of Cyprus, Nicos Christodoulits, during the first visit of an Italian head of state to Cyprus. “It is important to make agreements with the countries of origin and transit of the migrant flow to cooperate to improve the conditions there: in this regard – underlines the head of state – the Italian government has launched the Mate project to cooperate with the countries. The African continent covering the entire European Union.” In the conversation between the two presidents, all the main international documents were discussed: “I expressed my appreciation for the desire of Cyprus to be a base for humanitarian efforts for the Gaza Strip: we shared – States Mattarella – the need to achieve a ceasefire in the Middle East, “without the risk of expanding this dramatic conflict. , resolved without further tensions in the region, which would risk exploding other, more serious problems”.

“Cyprus and Italy – adds the President – these are Mediterranean countries that have stability and peace at heart, but international cooperation, freedom of trade and therefore freedom of navigation: what is happening in the Red Sea is a further consequence of” the conflict in the Middle East “which endangers the basic principle of the international community “Immersive, it's freedom of navigation that can be emulated anywhere else in the world, it can explode unpredictable conditions”. The issue of Ukraine is also under discussion: “Since there is peace and stability in Ukraine, we noted what is happening in Ukraine two years after the unthinkable aggression of the Russian Federation, as the Council of Europe did recently, to reiterate support for Kiev. How important is the territorial integrity, independence and dignity of each state. Repeat.” “It is inconceivable that a strong and large neighboring country wants to impose its will and take away territory from a neighboring and less large country – Mattarella adds: this is a common policy and it is right to firmly maintain this commitment in favor of the EU. Ukraine.” “This is also 50 years – the head of state finally recalled – since the Turkish military occupation of part of the territory of Cyprus, a sad anniversary, which is a fundamental issue for the balance of the Mediterranean and for all EU countries. .”